r men instead of wasting six, perhaps
more, months in the present recruit classes. It would also perfect the
enlisted men and subordinate officers for their prospective duties by
detailing them for detached service in cadet corps, in grades next
higher than their own. Such detached service would be an honor and a
prime incentive for all subordinate officers.

The uniformed militia system has been the growth of years upon the
single theory of a military power direct from the people. Whatever
merit has been developed in its practice is intrinsic, and has been
brought to the surface by force of circumstances rather than by
encouragement or appreciation. Upon the minimum basis of inherent value
can be constructed a maximum power of State economy, by honoring the
service with an establishment of intelligence and efficiency. Make the
uniformed corps to the State and to the militia forces, in a
comparative, what the West Point Academy is to the United States and to
the regular army in a superlative degree.

I have treated militia service thus far as a recreation, because the
members of uniformed corps have made it so. I will now refer to it as a
duty, and endeavor to show how the service can be adjusted to the
greater benefit of the State and be made of greater use to the people.

Declare all male citizens between the ages of twenty-one and forty
subject to military duty as ununiformed militia, to be enrolled and
brigaded, but kept immobile except for emergencies, to be officered
when necessary from the subordinate officers of the uniformed corps.

The object of enrollment is twofold: to ascertain the available force
of the State, and for the purpose of special taxation, to reimburse the
State for military expenditures.

Eliminate all extrinsic material from the present force; disband
skeleton battalions; make supernumerary their officers; reduce the
force to the efficient corps now existing, or which may have to be
organized, in place of ineffective ones, for the purpose of creating
normal schools for military instruction. Never call out an ununiformed
battalion in time of peace, or put a uniformed corps in the field in
time of war; consider them component and interchangeable parts of one
system. In active service let the former be the lungs and the latter
the heart of a vital organism.

In no instance should a normal battalion be disbanded for the purpose
of officering ununiformed corps, but should be kept intact with